Despite a valiant effort that saw them overcome an early 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead, the IceCaps gave up a goal late in the third period before losing a third consecutive overtime time, falling 4-3 to the Texas Stars.

Patrik Nemeth scored the series-clinching goal on a perfect backhand at 14:30 of the first overtime before a stunned crowd of 6,287 at Mile One Centre on Tuesday night, allowing the Stars to claim their first Calder Cup championship in five hard-fought games.

“It didn’t feel like a 4-1 series to us at all,” IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge told reporters after the game. “This one is going to sting. This one is going to hurt for a long time. These are tough to reflect back on. You work so hard and your goal obviously is to win it all. To come up short when you can see the Cup is within your grasp is definitely a tough pill to swallow.”

Mike Hedden scored a pair of goals, while Brett Ritchie had the other for the Stars, who got 33 saves for Cristopher Nilstorp.

Goalie Michael Hutchinson made 41 saves to finish the Calder Cup playoffs with a record of 12-9 with a 1.95 goals against average and .938 save percentage.

Those are numbers that lead many to believe that Hutchinson is in good shape to push for a roster spot with the Winnipeg Jets this fall.

After blowing a 3-0 lead in Game 4 and losing a heartbreaker in overtime just one night earlier, things were looking dire for the IceCaps when Ritchie scored at 4:59 of the second period to make it 2-0.

But IceCaps defenceman Jordan Hill scored through a screen at 11:06 to give the team some life and Josh Lunden buried a perfect feed from Zach Redmond at 16:58 to even the score before the second period was over.

Then at 6:33 of the third, Blair Riley converted a blatant giveaway from Jamie Oleksiak to give the IceCaps their first lead of the contest.

However with 6:34 left to play Justin Dowling’s shot caromed off the glove of Hedden and past Hutchinson, tying the game and sending it to a third consecutive overtime session.

The Stars, who were the best team in the American Hockey League during the regular season, finished the Calder Cup playoffs with a perfect 6-0 record in games that went to overtime.

Travis Morin, who was the most valuable player in the AHL after winning the scoring title, was named Most Valuable Player of the playoffs after producing 22 points in 21 games.

Morin played a key role in the final, putting up three game-winning goals (including two overtime winners) and seven points against the IceCAps.

The Stars roster included a pair of Winnipeggers in Derek Meech and Scott Glennie and former Manitoba Moose defenceman Max Fortunus.

IceCaps come up short in Calder Cup final

Despite a valiant effort that saw them overcome an early 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead, the IceCaps gave up a goal late in the third period before losing a third consecutive overtime time, falling 4-3 to the Texas Stars.

Patrick Nemeth scored the series-clinching goal on a perfect backhand at 14:30 of the first overtime before a stunned crowd of 6,287 at Mile One Centre on Tuesday night, allowing the Stars to claim their first Calder Cup championship in five hard-fought games.

“It didn’t feel like a 4-1 series to us at all,” IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge told reporters after the game. “This one is going to sting. This one is going to hurt for a long time. These are tough to reflect back on. You work so hard and your goal obviously is to win it all. To come up short when you can see the Cup is within your grasp is definitely a tough pill to swallow.”